On the eve of the congressional vote on permanent normal trading relations (PNTR) with China, ABC‘s Nightline (5/23/00) brought on three guests—former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Sen. Alan Simpson and former ambassador to China Winston Lord—all of whom were Republican supporters of the trade bill. PNTR, arguably the year’s most hotly contested congressional vote, drew fire from critics ranging from conservative anti-Communists to labor organizers to human rights activists. Yet the May 23 broadcast was not only Nightline’s first discussion of PNTR, it was the show’s only segment to focus on trade with China (or anywhere else) since May […]